What are my rights if my flight is delayed?
Sofia. In recent days, users have been increasing for canceled or delayed flights from various points in Europe. At larger airports, waiting in queues for checking or checking in luggage is so long that there are also alerts for passengers who have missed their flights. From the European Consumer Center Bulgaria, we try to collect the answers to the most frequent questions you receive.
What are my rights if my flight is delayed?
Passengers always have the right to information, and if the flight is delayed more than 2 hours,
the air carrier must provide them with food and drink for the waiting time. There are also additional services that are described in Regulation 261 – two phone calls or access to e-mail, and if necessary – overnight hotel accommodation and transport to and from the place of creation.
“In case the airline doesn’t provide you with vouchers or food, and you have to buy lunch or dinner yourself from the airport shop or restaurant while waiting for the flight to take off, keep the receipt. It is important that these costs are reasonable in order to be subsequently recognized by the airline,” advises Sonia Spasova, director of EPC Bulgaria.
If the flight is delayed by more than 3 hours when landing at the final destination, passengers may also be entitled to compensation. However, this is not true for every case. The carrier does not owe such compensation if the delay is caused by the so-called extraordinary circumstances – for example a storm, a strike by flight authorities or a threat of an assassination attempt. The amount of the compensation depends on the length of the route – for the most popular flights in Europe up to 1500 km the price is 250 euros, and if it is up to 3500 km – 400 euros.
Where can I check my rights if my flight is delayed?
The easiest way to do this is on the website of the European Consumer Center Bulgaria
www.ecc.bg. There is a “flight calculator” where you can check quickly and for free
what are the passengers’ rights and even calculate what compensation they can get if their plane is delayed. The calculator can also be used to check what the airlines’ obligations are. Using the flight calculator is extremely easy, as it is only necessary to enter the start and end point of the journey in English.
Is it possible to get a refund for the ticket and even compensation if I miss the flight because I waited too long at airport security?
More likely – no. The long queues and the organization of security checks are the responsibility of the airport, not the airline. For this reason, air carriers are not obliged to refund the amount of tickets or pay compensation if passengers are not at the exit/gate for the aircraft at the time indicated on the boarding pass.
Unfortunately, reimbursement from the airport is also unlikely.
Passengers could seek their rights by arguing that the airport was to blame for the missed flight, but that would mean going to court, consulting a lawyer first. If you get there, it will be necessary to prove when they arrived at the airport and possibly show with a video or photo that they waited in long lines. It is a good idea to keep receipts for parking or from a purchase at the terminal, a public transport ticket or other evidence that can confirm the time travelers arrived at the airport.
A general rule is to also check on the carrier’s website or the airport’s website how many hours before the flight the passengers should have arrived there.
I missed my flight due to long queues. Can I get compensation if I have insurance?
This depends on the terms of the insurance itself. As a rule, through insurances most often
pays compensation for missed flights due to success or an extraordinary event –
accident on the way to the airport, but not because of prevention, you know with security checks.
© 2022 All rights reserved. It is forbidden to reproduce in whole or in part materials and publications without the prior consent of “Focus” Information Agency!